pritchett



(No Mdel-.J' SSheets-M-Sheetl P. H. PRITCHETT..

CYCLE 0R VELOGIPEDE. l i No. 564,099. Patented July 14, 1896.

(No Model.)

,1). H. PRITGHETAT. YGLE 0R vBLocHED-. l No. 564,099. Patented Ju 4,1896.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 8.

P. H. PRITCHETT.

GYGLB 0R VELOGIPEDE. v

No. 564,099. Patent-ed Ju1y'14, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I PERVCY HUGH PRITGHETJL OF KANIERI, NEV ZEALAND.

CYCLE OR VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 564,099, dated July 14, 1896.

Application filed September 14, 1894. Serial No. 523,053. (No model.) Patented in New South Wales August 13, 1894, No. 5,244,l in Victoria August 15, 1894,1To. 11,596, andin South Australia August l5, 1894, No. 2,754.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY HUGH PEITCH- ETT, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and aresident of Kanieri, in theColony of New Zealand, have invented an Improvement in Cycles or Velocipedes, of which the following is a speciiication.

The invention has been patented in Victoria, No. 11,596, dated August 15, 1894; in South Australia, No. 2,754, dated August 15, 1894, and in New South Vales, No. 5,244, dated August 13, 1894.

The object of my invention is to provide a ready and efficient means and apparatus by which the power of the hands of the rider of a cycle can be made use of to propel the vehicle with or without the usual pressure of the feet..

In carrying my invention into effect, I substitute for the ordinary steering bar and handle of a cycle a forked bar or bracket extending upward to a sufficient distance, so as to carry a set of ball-bearings on either side of the center of the machine, and in these bearings I t a spindle capable of being revolved at right angles to the path of the machine. To each end of this spindle and at a convenient distance apart I iiX ratchet-Wheels having their teth pointing to the opposite direction to that in which the machine is traveling, and to these ratchet-Wheels I fit pawls and levers with suitable handles for actuating and revolving the levers by hand, and so actuating the ratchet-Wheels that in moving the said levers forward the pawls catch into the teeth of the ratchet-wheels and propel the vehicle, but so that the said levers are free to revolve backward without moving the vehicle. These levers and handles I prefer to move on ball-bearings accurately fitted to the spindles. The motion of the hand ratchet-spindle is conveyed to the main axle of the cycle by suitable gearing, and a convenient hand-brake and steering-handle is substituted for the ordinary steering-gear. The steering may also be effected, if desired, by means of the handles upon the levers used for revolving the ratchet-spindle.

My invention is illustrated on the accompanying sheets of drawings, on which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ordinary safety-bicycle fitted with my improved gear. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of the driving and steering mechanism and showing the construction of the ball-bearings. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the gures.

a is the upright of an ordinary cycle, which usually carries the steering bar and handles, but for which I substitute a bracket b, carrying ball-bearings b. These bearings b carry a spindle s, which is fitted with ratchets r in such a manner that when the handles upon the levers h are moved forward the ratchets carry round the spindle s, but the said haudles are quite free to return. w is a wheel which I prefer to be a sprocket-wheel fitted with a chain w', so as to gear into the wheel 102 on the forward wheel of the cycle. By these means I am enabled to work a cycle by hand or by foot power or by both combined, the wheels being properly proportioned, so as to distribute the power properly and regulate the speed.

7o is a brake-wheel fitted on the spindle s, and having a strap 7a', which strap is actuated by a lever t, pivoted to the upright a beneath a handle u, which handle may be used for the purpose of steering the cycle in addition to the handles h upon the ratchetlevers h.

It will be evident that the ratchets might be dispensed with, and a convenient forni of disengaging gear substituted, so that the spindle s and levers h could be actuated independently of the sprocket-wheel w; also that the spindle s might be locked in its bearings, if desired, and have suitable disengaging gear. Moreover, the several details can be varied without departing from the principle of my invention.

I-Iaving now particularly described and ascertainedthe nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- In combination inacyele, the steering-head, ing-head and extending over the pivo'ed le the shaft extending across its upper end, the ver t, substantially as described.

cranks and ratehets for driving the shaft, the Y v Y n 1 brake-Wheel on the shaft, the brake-strap, PERCY HUGH PRI; CHE'l T' 5 the lever t pivoted to move vertically for op- Witnesses:

erating the strap, the steering-handle u, n- R. WV. VADE,

dependent of the cranks attached to the steer- JOHN PEAKE, J r. 

